Experiences of Drug Use and Parenting among Women in Substance Abuse Treatment: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

The purpose of this exploratory study was to explore the multiple contexts of vulnerability, drug use and parenting for women in substance abuse treatment. Nineteen purposively sampled women provided qualitative data through semi-structured interviews. Findings revealed that adverse childhood experiences and intimate partners were important pathways into drug use initiation. Identities as mothers emerged as a key finding, intimately linked to women's motivation to seek and complete treatment. Understanding the challenges to recovery among mothers in treatment is an important priority for social workers. This study highlights the complexity of women's experiences and suggests implications for future practice and research.

KEYWORDS:

• Parenting
• women
• drug treatment
• motherhood
• child abuse
• social support

Notes

This study was made possible by an Adelphi University institutional grant to the first author. The authors would like to thank the study participants for generously sharing information about their lives. Thanks are also due to Ms. Pam Mattel, Ms. Cynthia Delarosa and staff at the Acacia Network for facilitating access and scheduling of interviews and to Ms. Elizabeth Chemick for her invaluable contribution to the project. The authors would like to thank Dr. Beryl Koblin for her help in the initial stages of this project.